Alphabet N -Nostalgic Moments!

There is always one trip that I love to embark on, without any planning…….a trip down the memory lane. Browsing an old album, opens floodgates of memories, in which I can drown myself for hours together. It conjures up so many emotions, experiences and sentiments and transports me back in the time machine.

Each photograph unfolds a story, brings a smile and enlivens the moment. The pictures walk you into a journey so magical, opening a chest, full of nostalgia. ……..the happy moments :-), special moments, the angry ones >:-(, the triumphant ones, the not so happy ones, some oops moments :-!, some naughty ones ;-D, umpteen emotions captured in frame, for eternity!

Then you glance upon a few vintage ones, from the black n white era. Pictures of grandparents, parents and probably a few of your childhood days too. Getting dressed and going to the studio was an outing in itself. The chairs neatly arranged for the family picture, the photographer donning the directors hat with the seating arrangements and you, showing all your pearly whites and sporting your best smile :-). (Forgot to mention the stand with a flower vase placed on it, which generally was a permanent fixture in all studio pictures those days 😉 !!

Before the advent of the digital print, we had the film roll which could click 36 pictures. Once done, we rushed it to the photographer at the studio for developing it. After a few restless days of wait, we got the printed copies of our pictures. The family gathered excitedly to have a look at them. The pictures would elicit elaborate commentary from all the family members. “Oh, you look so good”, “my head got cut”, “hey!! I have closed my eyes, not again !!!”,” look at the picture I clicked, it’s perfect!”…………… and so it went on and on…… 🙂 🙂

Times have changed now, so has the art of photography. Digital media has eclipsed the simple joy and furore involved in the cycle of clicking and developing pictures. My kids now go on a clicking spree all the time. Everything is instant. Click and see, not satisfied, click a few more to get that perfect shot!

In spite of all the changes, my love for photographs still remains……..only now, my laptop accompanies me, in my journey, of those nostalgic momentscaptured!

Great post R. 😀
I remember the times when I said ‘hey I closed my eyes in this one’, ‘hey I am not looking at the camera in this one’. 🙂🙂
My parents have clicked a lot of photos of me until I was 8. After that there are hardly any photos of me, I think I grew camera shy or something. Even now I see those old photos of me, I find few very funny. I used to give very funny poses back in those days 😀 after all, that is what kids do isn’t it 😀
Now, all the photos I have in laptop are of places I visited.

I can imagine the funny faces part R, my brother also used to make such faces 😀! Now you being an ace photographer, you are always behind the camera. But I hope someone clicks your pictures too. It’s wonderful to look back at yourself when you are older😀😀

Aww…..My sister and my daughter both are giggle heads. They too cannot stop their laughter once they begin, specially when the situation demands them to be a little serious. But looking at their pics laughing away to glory makes us laugh and feel happy 😀

I love my digital camera but I learned to shoot on film, and in college took a photography course where I had to develop my own black & white film in the darkroom. I loved it. I loved shooting in black &a white too. Something just makes it seem more archival

I loved it. We’d stand in a pitch black room and open film canisters to pull out the film and spoil it around a holder. Slip that into a canister and put the lid on it. From there we’d go outside and add the chemicals to develop the film through the lid. Was fascinating

Loved how you put this into words — this trip is what I am taking on myAtoZ journey 🙂 and love the era of the 36 photos .. clicking each one was planned (when my dad got the first color film camera, i recall i had a dance performance the same day and my dad in his excitement, used up the whole roll of film in a 3 minute performance – love my dad!!)
My little girl made sure I got her a film camera for her recent science camp (the one that spurred my AtoZ journey) and now I am yet to take it to someplace they will develop into prints for me..LadyInRead @ MyRandRSpace – Day 17 & the Letter N

Thanks Vidya. So glad to hear that this post took you back to the pre digitisation era. I am sure, you must be treasuring those dance pics even today.
Amazing to know that your daughter took the camera with a film roll for her camp. Must have been quite an experience for her.
Do we still get the roll ?

Radhika your post is so poetic and your description of photo shooting of days gone by is beautiful. They do not come back. Day by day and times changed everything and olden days has become a treasure and memory now. Photography was so simple and nice. Great words.

What a lovely post, Radhika. I was late to upgrade to a digital camera, I think I just really enjoyed the anticipation of waiting to see the photos developed. But I can see why the instant gratification of digital appeals. It’s quite a strange coincidence actually – my post for N used grainy old film photos from the mid-1980’s. Nostalgic for sure!

Thanks for igniting the nostalgic moments, radhika. I actually had a smile reading your post – I closed my eyes in this one, I look sleepy in this one….And of course, the laughing spree 😂😂😂 Enjoyed it.

You spoke my mind! Could relate to each and every thing.. and did not realise when did I embark on the journey with you…how I wish, the post could just go on and on…
————————————————
Anagha From Team MocktailMommiesCollage Of Life

Nostalgic! The instant gratification we get is nothing compared to the good old photographs and the fun we had in commenting and carefully putting each photo into the album. The albums themselves occupy a privileged place in each of our homes.Albums are a great icebreaker for any newcomer at home. And not to forget the pains taken to ensure that each roll of film turned out into a beautiful pic. I remember eagerly waiting for my dad the day the roll of film was taken to be cleaned.

Same here Radhika, the warmth and love I feel for old photographs has a special place in my heart!
You are really good in bringing up memories and gems of life! Your writing skills are exceptionally good!

Lovely post, it reminded me of so many photographs from my life, the ones where my friends tricked me to catch oops moments, ones with the loved ones who have departed this world and the ones from various travels, each of those with a story to tell.

Enjoyed your journey to down memory lane as it is almost the same for me. I can relate to that excitement of going to the studio with parents in some special days to make the memory, the joy of watching those photos , clicked by the film and so on. Very well written​ and touching post.

Even this prose felt like poetry. Yes, I remember the days of waiting at the studio to get those precious frozen memories in print. What excitement and what joy on its arrival. The ease of photography has somehow lost that joy and charm of watching a new photo album.
A good walk down memory lane, Radhika, I did too along with you and I enjoyed those precious moments from nostalgia.

Yes, the digital revolution sure has made a foundational change in photography! I remember those days of waiting impatiently to get the prints back, too, only from the little photo hut place in the department store parking lot, lol.

Beautiful memories Rads. I still remember when we were asked to sit or stand based on height to fit into the frame.. The final touchups and the priority of being with the person whom we most want to be photographed with.. Lovely post. Thanks for sharing the link.